Day wise itinerary

Day 01: ARRIVAL KATHMANDU

Upon arrival in Kathmandu international airport. You will be met at the airport & transferred to your hotel. Evening dinner will be organized following with tour orientation program. - Overnight Hotel

Day 02: SIGHTSEEING TOUR WITHIN KATHMANDU

Morning after breakfast, you will set off for a full day sightseeing tour within Kathmandu valley. You will visit Pashupatinath temple, Guheshowri Mata temple, Budhanilkantha temple (Jal Narayan or Sesh Narayan) and Monkey temple, if time permits.

- Overnight Hotel
- Evening tour briefing and distributing down jacket.

Day 03: DRIVE KATHMANDU- SHYABRUBESHI

Early morning, you will be setting off for Syabrubeshi. Syabrubeshi, a small town, borders with Kyirong county of Tibet/ China, situated about 170 km north of Kathmandu. This fascinating country drive takes approximately 8 hours to reach Syabrubeshi. Some 70 km part of the highway is very slender; so it can be a risky journey to drive fast. Lunch will be served on the way & overnight stay in guesthouse/ hotel in Syabrubeshi.

- Overnight …
- Kathmandu to Shyabrubeshi: 170 km | 6 hrs drive (approx.).
- Elevation of Syabrubeshi: 1450 m. | 4756 ft.

Day 04: CROSS THE BORDER THEN DRIVE TO KYIRONG

Morning after breakfast, drive to Friendship Bridge. The distance to drive is approximately 10 k.m. You will cross the friendship bridge and go through the immigration formalities and continue drive to Kyirong valley. It is 22 km driving distance from Friendship Bridge to Kyirong valley.

- Overnight …
- Shyabrubeshi to Border: 18 km | 45 minutes (approx.)
- Border to Kyirong 23 km | 1 hr
- Elevation of Kyirong: 2600 m. | 8528 ft.

DAY 05: DRIVE TO KYIRONG TO SAGA

The very first Tibetan town you will reach from Kyirong is Saga. Saga is situated at the bank of River Brahmaputra that origins in Kailash. From Kailash the river flows to Lhasa then it drops down to the plain of Asam crossing vast area of Arunchal Pradesh. Today, we stay overnight in Saga.

- Overnight …
- Kyirong county to Saga: 154 km | 4 hrs drive (approx.).
- Elevation of old Dongba: 4500 m. | 14760 fts.

DAY 06: SAGA

To get acclimatized with the climate today, we stay overnight in Saga.

DAY 07: DRIVE FROM SAGA TO LAKE MANSASAROVAR (CHIU GOMPA)

Early morning, you will depart from Saga to further destination, lake Manasarovar. After reaching Horchu (the east coast of Lake Manasarovar), you will change the Bus and commence making a circumambulation (parikrama) of the holy lake on Bus from clockwise direction. On the way, we will make a halt in an ideal spot (at the Bank) for holy dip & performing pooja & hawana. Evening reach Chiugompa and stay overnight in Guesthouse.

- Overnight …
- Saga to Lake Manasarovar: 470 km | 7 hrs drive (approx.).
- Elevation of Lake Manasarovar: 4550 m. | 14924 fts.
- Puja and Hawana at the Lakeshore during the course of parikrama.

Day 08: DRIVE, STAY IN LAKE MANASAROVAR

Today, you can rest in lake Manasarovar.

- Overnight …
- Elevation of Lake Manasarovar: 4550 m. | 14924 fts.
- Puja and Hawana at the Lakeshore

Day 09: DRIVE, TO YAMA DWAR THEN START TREKKING TO DHIRAPUK

Darchen is the gateway of trekking around mount Kailash. It is situated on the foothill of mount Kailash, below the south face. Asthapad is situated 4 km up in the mountain and Tarboche (Yama Dwar) is 7 km west from Darchen. A complete circumambulation of mount Kailash commences from this point and ends here. The total circumference of mount Kailash from Darchen to Darchen is 52 km. Darchen offers an array of accommodation-quality than any other places en route to Kailash.

As usual, we will be ready to move on from Manasarovar to Tarboche (Yam Dwar) after breakfast. The drive takes about an hour as we have to make a brief halt in Darchen to process for local permit. Yam Dwar is the best vantage point that provides splendid views of south and west faces of mount Kailash. This is probably the best place to have a closed view. Those; who are not undertaking circumambulation trip are advised to visit Tarboche.

Tarboche is the place where our horse/s, yak/s and porter/s are gather and accompany us for trekking part. Those, who are participating for circumambulation, will move ahead to Deraphuk from this point and rest will return to Darchen and wait until the people return from parikrama. The complete trek around mount Kailash takes 3 days. The distance of first day’s trek (from Yama Dwara to Deraphuk) is about 10 km. only and it takes 5 to 7 hours approx. to cover the distance.

The entire trail up to Deraphuk is reasonably flat with gentle ascend, however due to its extreme elevation, we may feel very exhausted, and need to have break on the way very frequently. The last legs of the journey is tough with rapid ascend. But, it is only for half an hour.

Deraphuk stands at an elevation of 4920 m. The north face of mount Kailash is just a few thousands meters away from here. This is the only place to have a close view of north face.

- Overnight …
- Tarboche (Yama Dwar) to Deraphuk: 10 km | 5 to 7 hours walk (approx.).
- Elevation of Deraphuk: 4920 m. | 16138 fts.

Day 10: TREK TO SHIVASTHAL, GAURIKUNDA (5620 m) THEN ZUTULPHUK

Today is the toughest & longest journey of this trip. We have to trek almost 22 km through rugged highland to reach Zutulphuk. Literally, we have to pack up our gear and set off from hotel at 5 a.m. Chinese time. Initially, it is an uphill trek from Deraphuk but after walking for an hour or so, the trail turns into mild ascend. Half of the trail passes through an elevation of 4900 m./16,000 ft. or above, so there is no wonder if we get suffered from breathlessness or headache. Though, we should try to keep our pace slow & steady.

Please do not forget to carry water bottle, down jacket, raincoat and some dry fruits & chocolates with you. Everybody has different pace of walking. People might not be around when you them. So, you have to be self-dependent in basic things.

After making an uphill trek for about 4 hours or so, we will reach to a high pass where we will find Tibetan prayers flags fluttering. This is called ‘Dolma La pass’ (5800 m.). This is the highest point that we will be crossing over during this divine trip. After making a gentle descend from the pass, we will find our self near a tine glacial lake. This is ‘Gauri Kunda’. Down to the border from Gauri kunda, the trail leads us rapidly down through the area full of boulders and loose pebbles. Going down can be difficult and painful than coming up. If we have taken horse, we can’t even use it in this bit. After trekking down for another 1 & half hour or so from Gauri Kunda, we will eventually reach to the valley floor. From this point on, the trail is easy & flat. It is another 2 hours easy-walk to reach Zutulphuk from here.

- Overnight …
- Deraphuk to Zutulphuk: 22 km | 9 hours (approx.)
- Elevation of Zutulphuk: 4820 m. | 15810 fts.

Day 11: TREK, ZUTULPHUK TO TREK ENDING POINT, & DRIVE BACK TO SAGA

Today is the last day of this divine circumambulation. Morning after breakfast, we pack up our gear and move on to Darchen. The entire trail is easy and flat. The trek takes about 3 hours to complete.

Our Vehicle is waiting for us at the final point; which is before Darchen. We board on the Bus then start our journey to further destination. First, we reach to the point (eastern shore of manasarovar) where we had left our vehicle. We board on the same vehicle and move ahead. We will drive over the Mayum La pass, military barricade, Paryang, sand-dunes area then eventually reach to old Dzongba in the evening. Picnic lunch will be served somewhere after the Mayum La Pass.

- Overnight …
- Zutulphuk to Darchen: 8 km | 3 hours walk (approx.).
- Darchen to Saga: 410km | 6 hours (approx.)

Day 12: SAGA TO SHYABRUBESHI

Morning after breakfast, we pack up our belongings then set off for Paryang. Today, we traverse approximately 210 km to reach Kyirong. On the way, we cross Saga and river Brahmaputra then drive down to the border.

- Overnight …
- Old Dzongba to Kyirong: 366 km | 8 hours (approx.).
- Elevation of Kyirong: 2600 m. | 8528 fts.

Day 13: SHYABRUBESHI TO KATHMANDU

After breakfast, we drive then continue drive to Kathmandu. The drive takes about 6 hours to reach Kathmandu. Evening free for independent activities.

- Overnight …
- Kyirong to Border: 22 km | 45 minutes (approx.).
- Border to Syabrubeshi: 18 km | 45 minutes.
- Shyabribeshi to Kathmandu: 170 km | 6 hours (approx.).

Day 14: DEPARTURE

Transfer to international airport for your flight back home.